Inconvenient Facts About the UN

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United Nations so-called “peacekeeping” troops are once again at the center of global outrage. Among other scandals, the UN and forces under its command are facing lawsuits and fresh waves of criticism for everything from corruption and lawlessness to spreading deadly diseases and even sexually abusing civilian populations in countries they occupy — an ongoing problem with UN troops that has been documented around the world. The UN, however, claims to be essentially immune, sparking further anger as thousands of Haitians continue to die from cholera spread by its “peace” forces.

In recent days and weeks, scandal-plagued UN war-making forces — dubbed “peacekeepers” in an Orwellian example of deceptive doublespeak — have faced accusations on three primary fronts. The first is a lawsuit filed in U.S. courts noting that the global entity’s soldiers were responsible for a ferocious outbreak of cholera in Haiti that has claimed almost 10,000 lives so far. Then there is a new report outlining widespread corruption within the organization’s forces and the lack of accountability.

Finally, fresh accusations of UN troops raping and sexually exploiting civilians in occupied nations — a common occurrence, as The New American and countless other sources have documented — emerged out of Mali. So-called “blue helmets” with the UN “peacekeeping” mission in the war-torn nation, dubbed the “United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali” (MINUSMA), for example, have been accused of rape and other serious misconduct.

The UN, which has more than 6,000 troops and self-styled “police” in Mali after rebels in the north declared independence and a coup unseated the regime in the capital city Bamako, acknowledged the accusations and claimed to be acting on them. A spokesman for the dictator-dominated planetary entity also alleged that the UN mission worked to preserve evidence and assist victims, implausibly claiming that there was “zero tolerance” for sexual abuse perpetrated by its forces.

“The Secretary-General is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and, in line with established procedure, is in the process of notifying the troop contributing countries,” UN boss Ban Ki-moon’s spokesman, Martin Nesirky, told a news briefing in New York late last month. “The troop contributing country has primary responsibility for investigating the matter and ensuring that appropriate disciplinary and judicial measures are taken should the allegations be well founded.”

The spokesman continued by offering the usual platitudes aimed at boosting the UN’s embattled image. “The UN Mission in Mali is committed to the highest standards of conduct by all its personnel, military, police and civilian,” he claimed. “The Secretary-General has a policy of zero tolerance for any form of sexual exploitation and abuse, and will do everything possible to see that a thorough process of investigation and, as appropriate, accountability takes place.”

Despite those soothing statements, it is not the first time that UN-backed forces have been accused of atrocities in Mali. In fact, earlier this year, after the global body purported to “authorize” an international invasion of the country, troops supported by the Obama administration, the Socialist French government, and the UN were implicated in summary executions and mass human rights abuses targeting innocent civilians.

The atrocities in Mali, though, follow a long pattern of UN troops or fighters backed by the global entity perpetrating horrific crimes. Among the more recent examples that could be cited is Libya. There, foreign powers fighting under a UN “mandate” bombed civilians, destroyed civil infrastructure, and more — in addition to overtly supporting al-Qaeda-linked jihadists implicated in ethnic cleansing of blacks, torture, mass murder, and other war crimes. The nation is still in chaos.

The Haiti cholera epidemic is being blamed on United Nations peacekeepers. A lawsuit filed in Manhattan’s Federal District Court accuses UN workers of bringing the disease into the country.

Officials said Haiti was free of the disease for nearly 100 years. In 2010, the devastating disease reemerged. Within three years, more than 650,000 residents were sickened and 8,300 were dead.

Officials with the UN ordered forensic testing to identify the source. It was determined that several members of the UN peacekeeping force entered Haiti while infected with the disease.

As reported by New York Times, the lawsuit also claims the Nepalese UN peacekeeper base contributed to spreading the disease. A flawed sanitation system carried raw sewage into a tributary, which leads to Haiti’s biggest river.

The river is a source of water for bathing, cooking, and drinking. Officials believe the river was contaminated by the sewage.

The Haiti cholera outbreak has slowed. However, it is still killing nearly 1,000 residents each year. Haiti’s prime minister, Laurent Lamothe, said the UN has a “moral responsibility” to accept blame for the situation.

UN human rights chief Navi Pillay admits the victims deserve compensation. However, she did not go into detail about when or how the victims would be provided relief.

As reported by Reuters, the Institute for Justice and Democracy petitioned the UN for compensation in 2011. The petition demanded $50,000 for each victim who fell ill, and $100,000 to families of those who lost their lives.

The petition was denied “pursuant to Section 29 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities.” Section 29 outlines diplomatic immunity.